Millennials are an integral part of today’s workplace. They are working their way up to the career ladder in various organizations and are becoming active leaders and members of multiple organizations. Unfortunately, they are still getting a bad rap. And while some organizations may worry about the frequency with which most millennials change careers, that should not prevent millennials from looking for better opportunities. In fact, more and more millennials are now investing in professional and personal development and have made learning their top priority. 

Below are some ways millennials are looking to professionally and personally develop.

Learning about Marginal Gains 

According to experts, mentally tough people apply the “marginal gains” rule. These people understand the cumulative effect of small changes leading to significant outcomes. And although they usually set out with big goals, they improve through systematic and surgical precision. The 1% marginal gains rule states that if you make even a 1% improvement in several tiny areas, the cumulative benefits of these improvements will be extraordinary. 

The law of marginal gains is based on the idea that if you break down a big goal into smaller parts and keep improving on each small aspect, you will see huge improvements once you put all of them back together. Millennials should learn the concept of marginal gains if they want to improve both professionally and personally.

For instance, you can apply the marginal gains rule to gain new customers. One way is to try out different designs for your website and see if any of these can convert a prospect to a customer. Changing the design of your website is a small task, yet this could help you achieve your big goal of gaining more customers.

Growth Mindset 

A “growth mindset” is more important than ever. The world is changing fast, and we are faced with new challenges day after day. Our way of life is also changing, and so as our norms. Millennials must keep up and adjust to these changes to improve personally and professionally, usually through personal mindset development courses. Thus, having a growth mindset is necessary. 

There are two categories of mindset – growth mindset and fixed mindset. Both are based on an individual’s behavior and how they respond to failure. Those with a “fixed mindset” believe that they can no longer change their abilities and intelligence. Meanwhile, those with growth mindsets are aware that they can still develop their intelligence and skills through dedication and handwork. If you have a “growth mindset”, you know that you can still improve or learn more for as long as you put in some effort. 

Although a growth mindset can benefit us in many ways, many would still prefer a fixed mindset, which can be unproductive since fixed mindsets can influence how we learn and develop skills. People with fixed mindsets tend to worry more about appearing smart, while those with growth mindsets worry more about learning.

Becoming More Reflective Emotional Intelligence 

Also known as emotional quotient, emotional intelligence refers to the ability to understand, use, and positively manage your emotions to communicate effectively, relieve stress, empathize with others, defuse conflicts, and overcome challenges. Emotional intelligence plays an essential role in our lives. It helps us build stronger relationships, succeed at work, and achieve our personal and career goals. In addition, emotional intelligence allows you to connect with your feelings, convert them into action and make informed decisions.

If you look around, you’ll find that it’s not always the most intelligent people who are the most successful in life. You probably know many academically brilliant people, yet they are socially inept and unsuccessful at work and personal relationships. That’s because intelligence is not enough to be successful in life. Sure, having a high IQ can help you get into college and perhaps land your dream job, but your EQ can help you manage the stresses and emotions that you will face as you achieve your dreams. 

High emotional intelligence can help you navigate the social complexities at work and when leading and motivating others. In fact, when evaluating potential candidates, many companies consider emotional intelligence an important attribute, with some companies implementing EQ testing before hiring. Remember that if you can’t manage your emotions, you may not be able to manage your stress either, which can negatively affect your health.

Having a more reflective emotional intelligence means being able to evaluate the evidence that we gather from others and ourselves regarding how effective or beneficial our actions will be. It also means being willing to modify the things we do according to the evidence gathered.

Develop Values 

Strong professional and personal values are essential and can show people who you are as a person, whether you’re trustworthy or not. These values can help millennials establish positive working relationships with their superiors and colleagues, which may also help them progress in their respective roles. An example of a personal value that can be useful at work could be as simple as treating colleagues and superiors well in the same way you want to be treated. Having values means being able to maintain a certain level and professionalism in everything that you do.

When incorporating your personal values into your role, it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about what exactly are your personal values? What are those things that are more important to you personally and that you can adapt into your role in the workplace? Are you someone who values a clean environment? You can incorporate this into your workspace by ensuring that your desk is clean and clutter-free.

If you are still trying to figure out how to integrate your values into your work, then there are probably some issues. You may find that by identifying your values, you would be able to discover that your current job does not align with your values. If this is the case, then you may need to switch careers. Use your values as your guide in looking for better opportunities, for example if your company is greenwashing or doesn’t have an inclusion and diversity policy, experts in luxury travel recruitment, Lightning Travel Recruitment, say it’s worth knowing your worth and seeking pastures new! Or perhaps, you can try to change how you do things to make it more in line with your values.